Happy Halloween

My sons are off school today as its a teacher training day so while they were playing with their lego I managed to make this quick ATC for Think Monday Think ATC. We have decorated the house, got the costumes down from the loft and are going to carve the pumpkin later after a visit to the park..have a good Halloween everyone.

Here is a photo of my son last night..we went to a lantern festival at a nearby park and it was great to see huge lanterns and moving figures all lit up and with fireworks at the end.

some more watercolour paintings

sunset..I like the water on this one where I blended lots of colours


study of a cottage..I was trying to make the cottage very grey looking like the ones you see in Wales....I am really pleased with the sky on this one and quite like the different greens of the grasses etc

Here are last nights and tonights paintings. I have come to the end of the frank clarke dvd now and have learnt so much this past week and feel confident to have a go at watercolour painting now as I am quite pleased at my progress. I took my sons to the park today and have even started looking at the trees and sky in a new painterly way! So why not have a look in your local library and see if there are any painting dvds you can have a go at to learn something new

Learning to paint with watercolours

I recently got some watercolours for my birthday as wanted to learn how to paint with them. I always like to challenge myself to do something new so I have been watching a Frank Clarke DVD that I got from the library and have been aiming to paint a picture every night. Here are my first attempts:



this is a study of an autumnal tree that I completed tonight..quite like the tree trunk



this one is done using just burnt umber paint I love the way the rocks turned out

I like the tree on this one which was my 2nd attempt at a landscape.

These paintings take me less than an hour to do and I prefer painting to sitting down in front of the tv after a long day with my sons who are off school this week.

Winter White

I went to my friend Pats last week and she showed me how to paint onto plaster. After a couple of experiments I quite liked the background I eventually came up with. I have painted some white grasses onto perspex and added some beads and wire. As with all my paintings on perspex it is quite hard to photograph because of reflections so have made a little video of it..view it on my youtube channel here.

It was my birthday the other day and my sons bought me lots of watercolour paints so I will soon be having a go at watercolour painting. I havent painted with watercolours before so have been watching a dvd by Frank Clarke that I got from the library..I just love his Irish friendly accent at showing the very basics of watercolour painting which you can then adapt to your own style..view the link here and dont blame me if you want to take painting up too after watching him!

Memories

Made a quick card using inchie stamps. The challenge over at Just for Fun this week is to use lace, buttons etc so be sure to check out the other entries. These lovely inchie stamps are from crafty individuals and I first put them on an ATC then added that to the card with some lace and an old vintage button.

Homage to Autumn altered box

Its quite hard to see all the detail so have made a little video..click here to view it on you tube.

I recently bought a house box shape and decided to alter it with lots of items from our woodland walks. I have used graphics 45 papers, spray ink, twigs, acorns ,photos of my sons and lots of bark on the roof.

Its typical autumn weather now with lots of rain and gale force winds..hope your nice and warm where you are. I have noticed the challenge over at alter it monthly is boxes so be sure to check out all the other entries too...

Pulling at my heart strings canvas and 5 min sketch

Finished the canvas I was working on yesterday..added some perspex and wire and its called Pulling at my Heart Strings. I enjoyed working with the perspex in a different way and I like the tension that the wire adds

Went to yoga this afternoon and did this quick 5 mins sketch whilst waiting for the kids to finish school..its called appropriately Relaxed which I was at the time!!

My 6yr old loves to draw too and this is one he drew on the way home..llama he remembered from our camping trip over the summer.

Just playing around with paint

Playing around with paint and paper strips

Bright paints and torn papers...I think I am going to put some perspex and wire over this one

Various shades of blue/green paints with torn strips of lime green at the bottom..possibly going to have fish or plants over this one on perspex.

I had a chance to tidy all my paints up so now I know where they all are!

Its still proper miserable rain here today and I think I need to get the winter duvet out as have had a cold back all day. Spent most of the morning sewing on my sons scout badges but then had a little play with paint in my shed. These are still backgrounds that I am going to add to later but its sometimes nice to see what a piece looks like when it starts off...playing with paint definitely cheers me up

frozen in the winter

Its been a really cold and miserable day today. Its also been a busy day with church where we celebrated Harvest festival, shopping, baths and homework..managed to get half an hour to myself to make something. I have made this little card for this weeks Sunday Postcard challenge..be sure to check out the other entries too.

He Loves Me He loves me Not..

Another perspex (plexiglass) piece I have painted and layered. Have been trying to add a lot more colour in my work so pleased at the way this one has turned out...the title refers to the dandelion losing its petals.

I went to the pictures this morning and saw the fantastic Jane Eyre film..recommend it as its very close to the original book with all its layered themes..this is my fav book and I must have read it about four or five times when I was younger..must read it again soon.

Its National Poetry Day today and I love visiting Pennys blog Creative Overflow..she writes some fantastic thought provoking poems so be sure to visit.

Fairy Tales,a Little House and the Beach

Made a quick ATC card today with some paper and collage scraps..the challenge over at crazy amigo is animals so can you spot the fairy and the black cat?




I am off to the Happy Stampers show at the weekend but found I have still got lots of stash from my last visit so today I decided to make something with this little house shape. I have painted and stamped it then added a glass tile, beads and a little bird.






My two youngest sons were off school yesterday as it was a teacher training day. I took them to Thurstaston beach and we had a lovely time just playing in the sand and watching the waves come in..just love this photo of them hugging each other as the waves come in to flood the castle moat they had built.

Past Times Nostalgia

Been working on another perspex piece..This one has lots of paper collage layers in it. I wanted to combine the modern perspex with old materials such as string, pears soap advert, beads, lace and buttons. I really like experimenting with perspex and trying new things out..I have another more modern project I am working on at the moment. This item is also available for sale in my Etsy store..check out link to the right.

Well after 2 scorching hot days the rain has finally returned but its nice to cool the air down a bit..hoping you have had nice weather where you are